Ash receiver



June 17, 1930. F, 8m 1,763,678

ASH RECEIVER Original Filed Jan. 27, 1927 iNVFLNT OR mu arm ATTORNEY Patented June 17, i930 UNITED STATES FRANKLIN s. sMI'T'H, on BROOKLYN, NEW YOR ASH RECEIVER Application filed January 27, 1927, Serial No. 163,952 Renewed November 9, 1 929.

This invention relates to receivers for ashes, cigarette ends, cigar ends and thelike. One of the objectsof this invention isto provide a simple and thoroughly practical device of the above-mentioned character, which will be of inexpensive but rugged and durable construction, of great convenience in use, and of highly eificient action. Another object is toprovide a device of the 1 above-mentioned nature which may be embodied in compact practical form and capable also of rapid and inexpensive. embodiment in ornamental shapes or designs. Another object is to provide an ash receiver of highly convenient form or shape ,for use yet free from the various disadvantages and objections that are characteristic of known ash receivers. Another object is, to provide a device of the above-mentioned nature capab'le of rapidly extinguishing lighted cigar or cigarette ends or lighted ashes and capable of preventing ashes from being blown about, due to disturbances of the v atmosphere,rall without encumbering the construction, Without detracting from the possibility of embodying the device in attractive practical form, and without resulting inan unsightly appearance. Another object is to provide a device of the above nature, which may be readily cleansed; ,Other objects will be in part obvious or in part poiii tedout hereinafter. p

' The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of-p'arts as will be exemplified in the structure to be herei'nafter described and the scope of the application of which will'be indicated in the following claims. j r

a In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown an illustrative embodiment of the mechanical features of my invention Figure'l is perspective view of my improved ash receiver, and V Figure 2 is a vertical sectional View taken substantially on theline 2-2 of Figure 1. Simil'arre'ference characters refer to similar parts throughout the two views in the drawing, 7 i Y As conducive to a clearer understanding of certain features of my invention, it might at this point be noted that a simple form of ash tray has a great many thoroughly prac tical advantages but that it is subject to the great objection that disturbances or move- V ments of the atmosphere very readily cause the blowing about of the very light ashes; another distinct objection to this, general type of ashtray is that, unless lighted cig arette or cigar ends are purposely and not "d without cumbersome manipulation extinguished, they'continue to smoulder. Such objections or disadvantagesas the last-men t'ioned it" has been attemptedto avoid by the employment of expedients'which make the resultant construction either expensive, or cumbersome in use and manipulation, unsightly in appearance, or dependent upon the use of bodies of water in such a way as to make the use of the device impractical 7 and undesirable. It is accordingly one of the dominantaims of this invention to avoid such disadvantages and objections as have just been noted but in a manner at once M simpleand efficient and by the provisionof a device which will be of simple and thoroughly practical construction.

Referring now to the drawing and with particular reference to both Figures 1 and 2, I have provided a receptacle 10 which I 31) have shown illustratively as-of a'substantiallyround contour and having a substantially cylindrical side wall 10 and a bottom member 10. Preferably the receptacle 1O is relatively shallow in order to, give it great 83 stability in use and it may, of course, be of any appropriate or desired expanse or size in a lateral direction. About the peripheral wall 10 and.- at any suitable number of con.- venient points, illustratively shown in the drawing as two in number, there are provided devices 11 and 12, conveniently-formed 1 integrally with the container 10 and approh priately shaped or curved so as to readily 1, hold or support a cigarette or cigar. The receptacle 10 may be made of anysuitable material, such as, for example, glass,'porcelain, metalor the like, and it may be given 1:; any desired fancy shape oroutline in order thereby to produce any desired attractive appearance.

Vithin the container 10 and resting upon the bottom member 10 and also preferably somewhat snugly fitted within the side wall 10 is an inserted member 13 of a contour substantially similar to the inside contour of the side wall 10 of the container 10 and of a vertical height somewhat less than the height of the side wall 10 Preferably, as will be clear from Figure 2, the several parts are so proportioned that the cigarette or cigar supports 11 and 12 hold the corresponding cigarette or cigar well above the upper surface 13 of the inserted member 13. Moreover, the supports 11 and 12 preferably extend outwardly from the side wall 10 of the container so as to permit the member 13 to be readily inserted into the container or removed therefrom.

The inserted member 13 is preferably made of a rigid and porous material and most conveniently is made of a material which might be termed artificial porous stone. Such latter material may comprise graded sand particles bonded together by a suitable fusible bonding agent but bonded together in such a way that there are brought about a vast number of interstices or pores between the particles of sand.

Structurally such a material may be considered as comprising a vast number of more or less irregularly formed sand particles attached or bonded together at numerous points, thus to leave a vast number of spaces or pores between the points of bonding.

With such a material, great porosity may be achieved, so much so that the member 13, for example, has a substantial fraction of its total volume constituted out of inter-connected pores or spaces between these particles of sand.

The pores of the member 13 are filled with water, by either immersing the member 13 in water and then placing it in the receptacle 10 or simply by pouring onto the upper surface 13 of the member 13 with the latter inserted in the receptacle 10 a sufiicient quantity of water so that the latter is absorbed by the pores of the member 13 and retained thereby. Preferably, the member 13 is provided on its under side, as viewed in the drawing, with a recess 1a of appropriate size, and positioned substantially centrally of the member 13. here the container and the inserted member 13 are substantially circular, as illustratively shown in the drawing, the recess 14 is of substantially similar shape, as will be clear from Figure 1 of the drawing. The recess 14 acts to accommodate a solid body of water which, being in contact with the porous member 13, enters into the pores of the latter to replenish such quantities of water as have been withdrawn from the member 13 at the upper surface 13 thereof, in the use of the apparatus, as will be made clear hereinafter.

The pores of the member 13 having been filled with water as above set forth, the device is ready for use. The upper surface 13 is preferably left exposed and is dry in appearance; this is due to the fact that the surface tension of the water in the uppermost portions or cells of the member 13 tends to hold the water down and thus prevent its accumulation in visible or substantial quantity upon or above the upper surface 13 of the member 13. As soon, however, as any ashes, for example, are placed upon the member 13, the lowermost layer of the ashes becomes wet and as the remaining portions of the ashes absorb or soak up the water, the latter is supplied thereto by the capillary action of the pores of the member 13. As soon as the ashes have become saturated, the capillary action ceases. thus wetted, and become firmly anchored or wetted to the member 13 so that they cannot be blown away. Should the ashes begin to dry, due to evaporation therefrom of the water which they have soaked up, the capillary action of the pores of the member 13 at once recommences to transmit sufiicient added water to the drying ashes, thus maintaining the ashes in a water-soaked condition and thus preventing permanently their being blown out of the ash tray. Substantially similar action takes place if a lighted cigarette or cigar end is placed upon the upper surface 13 of the member 13, it being noted, however, that, in the latter instances, neither the cigarette nor the cigar end becomes associated with such large quantities of water as to cause an unsightly straining of the latter, so that an ultimate unsightly appearance of the device in use is eflectively avoided.

As the water contained in the pores of the member 13 is progressively consumed, the pores are replenished with water from the reservoir formed by the recess 14. The degree of porosity of the material of which the member 13 is made, the vertical thickness of the member 13, and the dimensions of the water-holding recess 14- may be suitably proportioned to provide a capacity for holding the water suflicient to meet any desired condition of practical use.

The device is readily cleansed, inasmuch as it is merely necessary to rinse off with water the upper surface 13 of the member 13. The upper surface of the member 13, even though porous, does not retain or hold particles of foreign matter such as ashes or the like, and even if it did, the character of the material of which the member 13 is made readily permits such foreign matter to be rinsed off or even also rinsed out of the pores. Furthermore, the porous material is not readily stained and any apparent stains re- .85 The ashes are changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understod that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an ash receiver, in. combination, a receptacle provided with means projecting outwardly from the side wall thereof and adapted to hold a cigar or cigarette with the lighted end thereof overhanging said receptacle, a rigid porous member resting in said receptacle and adapted to retain water in its pores, said porous member being exposed to receive thereon ashes dropping from said cigarette or cigar, whereby said ashes are wetted by water transmitted thereto from the pores of said member, and means for supplying water to said porous member.

2. In an ash receiver, in combination, a receptacle provided with means for holding a cigarette or cigar in such a position that the ashes therefrom fall into the receptacle, and means within said receptacle for intercepting falling ashes, said means including a porous member made of a mineral material inserted into said receptacle and adapted to be saturated with water, said member having a recess therein on its under side to form a space for holding a supply of water.

3. In an ash receiver, in combination, a receptacle, of substantially round contour, and a disk-like member of rigid material inserted therein and providing a surface for the reception of cigarette ashes and the like, said member being porous and adapted to retain water in its pores, whereby said ashes are wetted by water transmitted thereto from the pores of said member.

4. In an ash receiver, in combination, a receptacle of substantially round contour, and a disk-like member of rigid material having a recess substantially centrally positioned in one face thereof, said member being inserted in said receptacle with the recessed face thereof downwardly and the upper face thereof providing a surface for receiving ashes and the like, said member being porous and adapted to retain water in its pores, whereby water is transmitted to the ashes by the capillary action of the said porous member, and said recess in said member being adapted to accommodate a supply of water.

5. In an ash receiver, in combination, a receptacle having therein an ash-receiving surface formed by the upper face of a member made of non-inflammable porous material adapted to have water in its pores, whereby, upon contact of ashes with said surface, water is transmitted to the ashes by the capillary action of said material, and

means for supplying water to the pores of said member, said means including a recess in said member and below the ash-receiving surface thereof, for accommodating a supply of water.

6. In an ash receiver, in combination, a receptacle, and a rigid member removably inserted therein providing an ash-receiving surface, said member being porous and adapted to have water in its pores, whereby, upon contact of ashes and the like with the surface thereof, water is transmitted to the ashes by the capillary action of said porous member.

7. In an ash receiver, in combination, a

receptacle, and a rigid member inserted therein and providing an upper surface for holding ashes or the like, said member comprising a plurality of small rigid particles rigidly interconnected to form intervening spaces or pores adapted to hold water. 7

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 22nd day of January, 1927.

FRANKLIN s. SMITH, 

